Though the lack of a two-player mode is surely disappointing, there's enough side-scrolling beat-em-up action to make this one worthwhile. Rescuing animals is certainly a change of pace, especially when they get involved in the action. It is repetitive, but this is just a side-effect of the genre. The few minor gripes aside, this one is a worthy game in anyone's Genesis collection.

When in a crowd, it's a good idea to execute your devastating flying kick that obliterates everything in the area. It costs you a bit of life, but it's well worth it. After tossing a grenade, I like how your character takes cover - it's a nice touch. It's also nice how you can knee a guy in the face who's already down. There are a surprising number of explosions in this game, often accompanied by flying charred body parts. Whatever you do, however, keep your distance from the fat dudes, because they tend to explode without warning. Yeah, Growl is definitely a silly game but it serves it purpose (just please don't ask me what that is). You're allotted three continues, and a high score displayed on the bottom of the screen gives you something to shoot for. Remember, somebody has to stand up for these innocent animals. Won't you help?

Wow, I'm amazed that I was able to find so much to say about Growl, considering just how underwhelming and mediocre it is. Bland, repetitive gameplay, poor visuals, and weak level design all come together to make a product about as tasty as tap water. I don't know if Taito was really making an effort with these ports, or if it was just crapping them out to meet a quota, but the lack of multi-player modes in any of them is really deplorable. It's almost as if the company ran through its checklist of genres that benefit from playing with a friend and with an evil cackle crossed off the games it neutered. Shooter? Check. Action? Check. Puzzle? Check. Beat-'em-up? Check. Too bad for Taito that my interest list only has one box. Play something else not made by Taito? Check.